SoftBank Group has finalized an agreement to purchase DigitalBridge Group for $4 billion, marking a significant milestone in the Japanese investment firm’s efforts to establish leadership in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The transaction was jointly announced and represents one of SoftBank’s largest recent moves in the digital infrastructure space.
By acquiring DigitalBridge, SoftBank gains extensive exposure to the infrastructure sectors that underpin AI technology deployment. Founder Masayoshi Son has been positioning SoftBank’s portfolio to capitalize on what he views as a generational shift toward artificial intelligence, and the explosive growth in demand for AI computing capacity has created substantial investment opportunities. DigitalBridge’s portfolio of infrastructure assets provides SoftBank with diversified exposure to this growth.
DigitalBridge’s investment strategy centers on digital infrastructure including datacenters that house computing equipment, cellular towers that enable wireless connectivity, fiber networks that provide high-speed data transmission, small-cell systems that enhance network capacity, and edge infrastructure that brings computing closer to end users. Portfolio companies include well-known names like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. The company’s evolution from its 1991 founding as real estate firm Colony Capital to its current form occurred under Marc Ganzi’s leadership, involving a strategic pivot away from traditional real estate and the 2021 adoption of the DigitalBridge brand.
Under the acquisition agreement, Ganzi will remain as CEO with DigitalBridge operating as an independent platform within SoftBank’s corporate family. The financial scope of the acquisition is substantial: DigitalBridge had approximately $108 billion in assets under management as of the end of September, positioning it as one of the largest specialized investors in the digital infrastructure sector worldwide. This established platform provides SoftBank with immediate scale and credibility.
SoftBank’s involvement in AI infrastructure extends to multiple high-profile initiatives. The company is a key partner in the Stargate project, working alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm based in Abu Dhabi. Stargate represents a multi-billion-dollar commitment to building large-scale computing and infrastructure capabilities specifically engineered to support advanced AI development. Current plans call for five new computing facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.